New South Table Intro

Introduction

Here it is the middle of November and I am publishing a food blog. Right here at the holidays! Crazy, right? I know, tell me about it! The truth is, this site has been in the making for over a year. At first, I struggled with it because I had so many recipes that I could not narrow down the ones that were best to share. Then, I hit a roadblock with food photography. Who knew that was so tedious? I wanted the photos to look clean and crisp with depth and great lighting, but I had no clue there was so much to learn! And just like everyone else who works a full time job and blogs on the side, there was the time factor involved...finding the time to really dedicate to creating recipes, cooking, testing, re-testing...this is a hobby that takes time and I did not want to rush things because I wanted every single recipe to be awesome!

Warning! The recipe index is not complete...yes, I have more than five recipes! No worries, I will be sharing new recipes each week. With Christmas right around the corner, I will be including a few family favorites as well as some of my famous cake recipes just in time for the holidays.

Once a teacher, always a teacher....

I really do believe this. I began my teaching career in 1993 at a middle school in Union County, North Carolina. After eleven years in the classroom, I transitioned to school administration as an assistant principal. In 2009, I went to work as a regional consultant for one of the nation's largest state virtual schools and I never looked back. I am still with the same organization and my role has changed quite a bit since then, but I would not trade it for anything. Although I don't teach anymore, I am an educator and I still feel the need to help others learn new skills...it runs through my veins! I have always loved to cook and I have a bit of a knack for decorating, so why not share these ideas with others? It just made perfect sense to me.

What will you find at New South Table? Here you will find a collection of recipes; some that have been passed down in my family and shared with me by friends over the years, but most of them are a result of my love for cooking and determination to create delicious meals for my family. These recipes are representative of what I consider a new generation of southern cooks, hence the name, New South Table. I hope to share with you recipes that pay tribute to traditional southern cooking, but also include recipes that marry the old with the new. These will be recipes that my friends and family love the most, so I hope you will share them with the special folks in your life too! Also on this site, you will find a few design ideas and tips for making tables look great! Who doesn't love a beautiful set of white dishes and gorgeous centerpiece on a farm table?

So, pull up a chair, make yourself a cup of coffee or a glass of sweet muscadine wine and enjoy planning your next adventure in the kitchen. I hope it brings you as much joy as it does me!

November 20, 2017

It's November and Thanksgiving is just a few days away. I know the next six weeks will be full of heavy meals, parties with lots of junk food and sugary desserts, so I am making a lot of soup these days in an attempt to be nice before things around here become very naughty! Now, I know some little smarty pants is going to poke fun at that statement because this soup is loaded with calories from butter, cheese and heavy cream...but life is short, who is counting?

I do love soup and I also love anything creamy, velvety and cheesy, so this Creamy Broccoli Soup has all the bases covered! I love broccoli soup so much that I have a few different ways in which to prepare it. Sometimes I use chopped broccoli and sometimes I use florets.

Sometimes I use Velveeta (I just heard the gasps!) and sometimes I use block cheddar. This recipe is a bit different and it calls for Monterrey Jack and Cheddar cheeses. I use both flour and instant potatoes to thicken this soup. You may adjust the potatoes according to the thickness you prefer. Just gradually add the potatoes into the soup so you don't over do it.

I also pre-cook the broccoli and carrots in the microwave. I do this mainly because I am impatient at times, especially when I am really hungry! If you don't want to do this, that is okay...just allow more time for them to cook in the broth before you add the thickening ingredients.

Let me tell you, there is absolutely nothing missing from this pot of deliciousness! Grab yourself a huge bowl and some crusty bread because this is going to keep you occupied for a while!